chances? MIT is my DREAM school!

Colleges and Universities A-Z Massachusetts Institute of Technology
1

<p>I am currently a Junior</p>

<p>UW GPA: 3.91ish</p>

<p>SAT I's
Math: 800
CR: 730
Writing:740</p>

<p>will probably take SAT Math II, Chemistry, and US History in May </p>

<p>Past AP's: US Gov and Politics-5</p>

<p>Current Load
1. Integrated Physics
2. Advanced PreCal
3. AP US History
4. AP English Language
5. Web Design
6. Advanced Spanish IV
7. AP Chemistry</p>

<p>My only B's have been graphic design freshman year and AP Gov (will a 5 on the exam atone for this)? unless I get really hot toward the end of this semester, I'm getting a B in AP English. </p>

<p>Next year, I plan on taking AP Calc BC, AP Bio, AP Physics C, AP Stats, and (possibly) AP Lit and Comp. </p>

<p>EC's: </p>

<p>Boy Scouts
-Eagle Scout (just did my board of review). My project was building benches, pressure-washing old ones, and putting sealant.
-Senior Patrol Leader during 10th grade, Patrol Leader during 9th
-broke a national record for hiking. I hiked the Bartram Trail (100 miles/5 days, has a lot of elevation)
-LOTS of community service</p>

<p>Tennis (all 4 years)
-private lesons
-varsity tennis</p>

<p>Academic Quiz Bowl team (10-12)</p>

<p>I founded and am president of our school's food critic club. We go to restaurants about once a month and write critiques about them, which are published in the school newspaper. </p>

<p>Trumpet
-private lessons
-Superior Rating (9,10,11) at Solo Ensemble Festival
-Community Jazz Band (9-12)
-GISA all-select band member (11th grade) (top band members of private schools in GA)
-played for church on Sundays
-invited to play at school's open house 10th grade</p>

<p>Piano
-lessons
-invited to play at several concerts</p>

<p>Young Republicans (should i say this? i know prestigious colleges are very liberal?)
-helped a bake sale to fund troops in Iraq and Afghanistan
-helped campaign for JOhn Mccain and senator Saxby Chambliss</p>

<p>Duke TIP summer program (summers after 9th and 10th grade, I respectively studied macroecon. and robotics)</p>

<p>Miscellaneous:
I also volunteer at the library during the summer.
I also made the state round for MathCounts in 8th grade. (Is there any way to say this even though it was in middle school)
I received national honors in 7th grade for the SAT math portion. (see above parenthetical statement)
-Traveled around Europe.
-I'm almost certain my PSAT score will qualify me for semifinalist standing in the NMS search. </p>

<p>Essay: talk about a trumpet competition in which one of the judges judged his own students THREE years in a row and how his negative bias toward me didn't prevent me from still playing trumpet. (would this look like I'm playing the blame game?). </p>

<p>Recommendations: I know several teachers at my school who like me and will probably write well about me.</p>

2

<p>You know, I’m surprised at how many people’s Eagle Scout projects involve benches of some sort. 2 of my friends’ troop built a bunch of benches for parks, and now you’re pressure-washing benches…must be some sort of a strange coincidence.</p>

3

<p>I’m no authority, just a fellow hopeful, but here are my thoughts.</p>

<p>The Young Republicans thing, especially the bake sale, is really cool, in my opinion. Don’t be shy about mentioning it.</p>

<p>It looks like you’re pretty good at math, judging from the Mathcounts and SAT scores. If your school offers the AMC tests, check those out; there’s a spot on the MIT application that lets you put down your score.</p>

<p>Anyways, lots of interesting activities (food club!), courseload looks like you’re challenging yourself, so if you love MIT, go ahead and apply and see what happens :)</p>

<p>Some links you might read
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/massachusetts-institute-technology/770701-guide-chancing.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/massachusetts-institute-technology/770701-guide-chancing.html&lt;/a&gt;
[MIT</a> Admissions: The Match Between You And MIT](<a href=“http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/pulse/the_match_between_you_and_mit/index.shtml]MIT”>http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/pulse/the_match_between_you_and_mit/index.shtml)</p>

4

<p>It’s all about the match between you and MIT. You have a great package so my only advice would be to let your academics speak for itself and really show some creativity in your essays. I think I would change the topic unless you can really make it clear that you’re not blaming the judge. Maybe an essay about your world-record hike and how it influenced you (in a creative way)?
Basically make sure you know why you want to go to MIT, make sure it really is a perfect fit for you, emphasize the things you really care about (for you math, politics, music) and throw in some of the unique things (food club:)), and most importantly, BE CREATIVE AND SHOW YOUR FUN SIDE! Your academics will take care of the rest. </p>

<p>Good luck next year!</p>

5

<p>So you’re a Junior. It’s great that you are planning ahead! </p>

<p>My suggestion is that you make plans to visit (or revisit) MIT before you apply. Also visit other schools over the summer if possible. Although you may still end up saying that MIT is your dreamschool, you’ll have some new comparisons in your mind to prove the point. For example, we visited MIT on a July morning and my son liked it. By comparison to the Tufts tour that he very much disliked that afternoon, we knew that MIT and other techie schools will be a much better fit for him.</p>